Stress is a present day’s inevitable phenomenon and it is experienced by both adults and children. Since stress is present through a person’s whole lifespan, it is important to consider the causes and effects already from the early years. Childhood is the most intensive developmental time in a person’s life, hence children are more vulnerable for the long-term effects of stress, compared to adults. It is important to recognize the multiple factors that cause stress for children and above all, look into the ways to help children regulate the stress they are experiencing.
Mindfulness is one way to help children cope with stress. Mindfulness stems from an eastern philosophy and meditation and has been applied today in the western culture as a non-religious method. The principles of mindfulness are based on the symbiosis of the body and the mind. The purpose is to increase awareness of one’s own sensations in the human organism, as well as open the importance of the awareness in order to reach a calm, stress-free state of mind.
The purpose of this study is to examine stress from the point of view of the child-experience and create a coherent picture of the benefits of mindfulness in supporting children’s stress regulation. Mindfulness-methods have been in use with adults for decades and research among children’s stress regulation and mindfulness is growing persistently. It is important to see childhood stress as a 21’st century phenomenon that needs to be taken seriously. If untreated, stress can lead to unfavorable consequences such as physical health-problems and diseases.
This study is conducted as a literature review; hence it is based on versatile existing literature. The topic of this study was selected based own my own personal interest, as mindfulness has been helpful for myself in relaxing and coping with stress through yoga practice. By the guidance of my research questions the aim is to find trustworthy literature to support possible conclusions. The study in fact shows, that mindfulness can be seen as a method to help children cope with stress.